Improvement in grain-driers



2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

w. F.--M0RGAN..

Grain-Briefs.

Patented July 2.2, 1873.

M/ www' AM. PHom-z/TffoeR/JPH/cc. N. Mossos/vs pnbcsss) NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. MORGAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GREAT I AMERICAN MALT AND GRAIN DRYING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK CITY. u

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-DRIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,160, dated July 22, 18735 application filed April 16, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. MORGAN,

.of the 'city of Buffalo, in* the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Grain-Driers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class of graindriers in which a series of horizontal circular drying-floors are arranged one abovethe other, and the grain to be dried is carried over each floor by revolving carriers or scrapers attached to a central shaft, and then discharged onto theiioornext below, until it finally escapes from the machine. The invention consists, first, in the combination, in a grain-drier having circulardrying-tloors and a central drivin g-shaft, of sector-shaped carriers attached to radial arms secured to the central shaft, and composed of concentric partitions or plates hung to said arms and connecting radial scrapers,so that the surface of each carrier is subdivided into a number of pockets or receptacles of lesser size, which insures a more uniform distribution of the grain over the entire surface of each carrier, and prevents the'centrifugal action of the rotating carriers from working the grain outward 5 second, in the combination, with the circular drying-floor and central shaft of a grain-drier, of grainfoarriers hung loosely on radial arms secured to the shaft, and composed of radial plates or scrapers connected and divided into compartments by concentric partitions, said radial plates and partitions being so jointed as to permit the scrapers to adapt themselves to any inequalities of the surface of the drying-doors and travel in close contact therewith, whereby a complete discharge of the grain is insured; third, in the combination, with the circular drying-floors and central shaft of a grain-drier, and radial supporting-beams or girders resting with their outer ends on the exterior wall or shell of the drier, of a connecting sleeve or ring surrounding the central shaft, and to which the inner ends of the beams are secured, whereby a rm and reliable support for the drying-floors is produced 5 fourth, in the combination, with the series of radial girders supporting each perforated drying-floor, and the series of radial girders supporting the tight oor, arranged underneath and forming. the bottom of the hot-air chamber, of two sleeves or-rings surrounding the central shaft and receiving the inner endsv of each series of gird-l ers, -both sleeves being either cast in-one piece or firmly secured together, so that thestrain resulting from the weight of the grain resting on the perforated licor is distributed between the two series of girders, whereby a stronger support is obtained Without materially increasing the cost of construction 5 fifth, in the combination, with the feeding-hopper of a grain-drier having horizontal dryin g-lioors and revolving carriers, of an adjustable gage-board attached to the bottoni of the hopper at the rear of the discharge-opening, so that-by raising and lowering said gage the thickness of the layer of grain which the revolving carriers will remove from under the feed-hopper can be readily regulated; sixth, in the combination, in a grain-drier having horizontal drying floors and revolving scrapers, of a grain-feeding hopper, when provided with two or more independently-adjustable gates arranged side by side, so that the width of the dischargeopening ofthe hopper can be reduced toward the center of the machine, where the least amount of grain is removed by the scrapers.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a partly sectional elevation of a grain-drier provided with my improvements, only one drying-floor being shown in the drawings. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section, on an enlarged scale, of one of the grain-carriers in line .r w, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the feed-hopper. Fig. 5 is a detached sectional view, on an enlarged scale, representing the mode of conneoting the radial girders which support the iioors. Fig. 6 isa plan view thereof in line y y, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view of the hot-air conduit-pipe provided with a steam-coil.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in each of the figures.

A. represents the cylindrical exterior wall or shell of the drier. As shown in the drawings, it is composed of cast sections secured together by iianges o b, and supported by columns B. C is. the central shaft, rotated by gear- Wheels or pulleys in any suitable manner, and carrying a series of grain carriers or scrapers, D, arranged above and in contact with each drying-floor. E represents a perforated drying-Hoor, and F a tight iioor, arranged below the same., so as to form a hot-air chamber, F, between them. The hot air enters the chamber F' at f, passes through the perforations of the drying-floors D and the layer of grain thereon,and escapes at f', together with the vapor evolved by the drying grain. G is the grain-receivin g hopper, arranged at a short distance above the upper or first dry-v ing-floor,on one side of the. central shaft C. h h represent a series of radial arms, to which the rotating scrapers D are attached, and which 'are secured to the shaft C by means of a flanged hub, H, into which they screw, or in any other suitable manner. Each graincarrier D is composed of several concentric plates or partitions, d, hung loosely on one of the radial arms h, and connecting radial Scrapers e, forming together a series of small receptacles or pockets. rIhe concentric partitions and the rear radial scraper of each carrier, and preferably one or more intermediate ones, are jointed together in sections, as shown at d and e. These joints enable the carriers D to adapt themselves readily to any inequalities which may exist in the dryingfloors, so as to travel in close contact therewith,whereby all the grain on each floor is removed by the Scrapers, and which also allows of the ready removal of the carriers for repairs. rIhe division of each carrier into smaller compartments insures a more uniform distribution of the'grain, and prevents the same from accumulating near the circumference during the rotation thereof. 'o' are the radial beams or girders supporting the perforated drying-floors E and i', similar beams supporting the tight floors F. They are of angle, T-shaped, or other suitable cross-sec tion,and rest with their outer ends on flanges j j', projecting inwardly from the shell A, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The inner ends of the radial beams it are secured, respectively, to two cylindrical sleeves or castings,K K surrounding the central shaft C, and each provided with an upper and lower circular ange, k 7c. rlhe beams i i rest with their inner ends on the upper iianges` k, and are secured to the sleeves K K, respectively, by screw-bolts l passing through t-he lower dan ges k. The sleeves K K are preferably made to iit snugly on the-shaft C, so as to form a-t the same time bearings therefor. I prefer to secure the upper and lower sleeves KK of each set of floors E F together by screw-bolts l', or to cast them in one pie'ce, so as to transmit a part of the strain to which the girdersi of the loaded perforated iloors are subjected to the girders i of the tight floors, which latter girders would without this connection of the sleeves only support the weight of the tight iioors.` M M represent two or more gates, arranged side by side on the feed-hopper G. Each gate is capable of adjustment independent of the other, so that the discharge-opening of the hopper can be contracted toward the center of the drier to discharge a less quantity of grain, corresponding with the smaller amount of floor-space at this point. N is a.

vertically-adjustable board or gage, secured to the lower part of the grain-hopper Gr at the rear of its discharge-opening by screw-bolts n passing through elongated holes, or otherwise. By raising or lowering the gage N the thickness of the layer of grain on the carriers D, as they pass under the same, is regulated and equalized. O represents the pipe by which the hot air is conducted from the heating and blowing apparatus to the drier. It connects preferably with a trunk or pipe, O', interposed between the pipe O and the air-inlet apertures of the drier, and divided by horizontal partitions into several compartments, so that the hot air may be admitted to all of the drying-doors or only a portion thereof, as may be desired. P represents a coil or nest'of steam-pipes, arranged in the hot-air pipe O to reheat the air before it enters the drier, whereby the temperature of the air is maintained at the degree required for an efiicient operation of the apparatus. If desired, a similar nest of steam heating-pipes may be arranged in each of the compartments of the air-trunk O.

What I claim as my invention is j l. The combination, in a grain-drier having circular drying-floors and a central drivingshaft, of grain-carriers hung to radial arms It, and composed of radial scrapers e and concentric partitions d, substantially as and for thepurpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, in a grain-drier having circular drying-doors and a central drivingshaft, ot' grain-carriers hung to radial arms h, and consisting of radial scrapers e and con; centric partitions d, constructed of sections jointed together at c and d', substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. rIl'he combination, with the circular floor, shaft C, and radial beams M of a grain-drier, of the sleeve or ring K surrounding said shaft, and connecting the inner ends of said beams, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. The combination,with the floors E and F, shaft C, and radial beams e' fi', of the two connecting-sleeves K K, either cast in one piece or secured firmly together, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

5. The combination,with the grain-hopper G of a grain-drier having horizontal dryingiioors and radial revolving carriers, of the adjustable gage-board N, arranged at the rear of the discharge-openin g of said hopper, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

6. The combination, with a grain-drier Ahaving circular drying-floors and revolving carriers, of the grain-hopper G, provided with two or more independently-adj ustable gates, M, arranged side by side on said hopper, substanifgially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set orth.

Witnesses: WM. F. MORGAN.

JOHN J. BONNER, EDWARD WILHELM. 

